Here’s the truth: not everyone is interested in being in a serious relationship. Some people prefer being in a “casual relationship,” i.e., in a relationship without commitment.
And that’s okay!
Whether you’ve lost interest in long-term relationships or that’s never been your style, it’s entirely your decision.
Of course, just like any other relationship, a casual one has its strong points and various advantages. It presents a fantastic journey where you can learn more about yourself, and it can be great for your future needs when seeking the right partner.
However, what’s important is to let the person you are dating know you’re not looking for commitment and make it clear from the beginning. It’s all about trust, right? You want to trust the person you are intimate with, which is why we are going to focus on how you can build that trust in a casual relationship.
But first, let’s take a look at some of the main advantages of a casual relationship.
Benefits of a Casual Relationship
As mentioned already, a casual relationship offers certain benefits that a long-term one doesn’t. Young adults are usually the ones drawn to these types of relationships, because they leave a window for them to back out at any time they want, and go back to searching for their rightful place in the world.
One of the most significant benefits of a no-strings-attached relationship is that there are no emotions involved. It’s all about instant pleasure and new experiences with someone completely new in your life. And you can always count on having a person to hook up without having to go through fancy dinners, dates, and more.
Another benefit worth mentioning is that you get to figure out what it is that you want out of life and future relationships—all without getting hurt. A lot of times, a casual relationship turns into a real friendship, without hard feelings on either side.
A casual relationship will help you get more comfortable with dating, in general. After all, practice makes perfect, right? This can truly come in handy if you’re shy or anxious by nature and have a hard time connecting to people. A casual relationship could be what you need.
Finally, in a relationship such as this one, you can have all the time in the world for yourself, without worrying whether you dedicated enough time to your partner. But we’ll talk a bit more about that later.
So, what is it that you can do to build trust in your next casual relationship? Let’s see.
Make Sure You’re Both on the Same Page
We’ve all been in a situation where we simply got sick of commitment and wished we could just have some fun for a change. This feeling is quite normal for people who are fresh out of a long-term relationship and have a hard time adapting to new people in their lives. For them, even a random encounter can sometimes be challenging.
Usually, your head will need time to reset and rearrange all the memories. The funny thing is that you will need to go out and socialize to do so. After all, nobody wants to be stuck in the past, right?
However, whether your friends set you up with someone or you meet a girl while out at your local bar, it’s crucial to ensure both of you know what you’re getting into.
In short: for your relationship to work, you need to set some ground rules first, actually trust the person you’re with, and have them trust you, as well. If you want just to hang out, that’s fine. If you only want sex, that’s okay, too. If you’re really into make-out sessions, just let them know before you proceed.
Whatever you decide, just be sure that you’re both on the same page and want the same thing out of your casual relationship.
Respect Yourself and Your Partner
Respecting someone is not only a must in a long-term relationship. No, it’s also a must in a casual relationship, because respect leads to trust and a far better relationship than you expected.
Additionally, lack of self-respect leads to overthinking, and overthinking can lead to all kinds of problems you don’t want to get into.
So, before you jump into anything, take a moment to get to know yourself. Having self-respect will not only help you become a better person in general, but it will also help you gain the confidence you need to maintain a casual relationship and get together with a gorgeous girl on a Saturday night.
And let’s not forget: if you don’t respect yourself, your partner is bound to notice your poor self-esteem, which is never an attractive trait.
Luckily, building self-confidence can be achieved in various ways. Here are some inspiring examples:
- Working out — It boosts your confidence, health, and makes you socialize.
- Have a goal every day — Set a goal each day, and make it a priority.
- Take up a hobby — Learning new hobbies can boost your skills and even help you discover new ones.
- Self-maintenance — Keep your body and your living space clean and tidy, trim that beard and wash the windows — even if you think it’s unnecessary. If you want to respect yourself, you must respect the place you live in.
According to a paper found on Harvard Health Publishing, exercise can benefit those who have difficulties with anxiety, and it reduces stress. And if you need advice on how to leave negativity behind you and gain confidence, sites such as Psychology Today offer excellent first-hand tips that can help you out.
To summarize: if you don’t learn how to respect yourself and your partner, you may want to hold off on starting up a casual relationship.
Leave Room to Grow as a Person
Your life goals and achievements define you as a person. There’s no doubt about it. Whether big or small, these are your achievements, and the best part is that there is always room for more.
Achievements are like small medals of honor that you constantly wear and, believe it or not, they can come in handy when you are seeking a partner for a no-strings-attached relationship. Your accomplishments ensure you can trust yourself and your skills to get things done.
Even in a casual relationship, it’s important to leave enough time for you to grow as a person and always try to achieve more. Your partner will appreciate it more if you have your mindset on something, and they’ll be sure they can trust you no matter what.
Value Each Other’s Time
We mentioned above that one of the benefits of a casual relationship is the time you get for yourself. There’s no need to overthink whether or not you’ve spent enough time with your partner, and if you need some time for yourself, you can easily take it.
So, if you want to make sure your new partner sticks around for the casual relationship you’re looking for, you must know how to value each other’s time. This will leave you and your partner enough space to focus on more important things, and having a person you can trust and who values your time is the perfect combination.
When both of you have enough time for each other and for yourselves, you’ll be able to trust each other more that you know what you’re getting into. Ultimately, this will ensure you develop enough trust between yourselves to keep the relationship going.
And if you realize that the relationship is taking up too much of your time, then make sure you’re honest with your partner and remind them that you’re not in it for the long haul. They will most definitely appreciate your honesty.
Don’t Forget: Trust Is Earned!
Even in a casual relationship, you’re expected to put in an effort when it comes to trust. This goes both ways, of course. Your partner needs to earn your trust just as much as you need to earn theirs.
There is nothing worse than a person who disappoints you with their actions or occasionally lies to get their way. We’ve already said it, but we’ll repeat it: when getting into a casual relationship, you don’t want to lie to your partner, and you don’t want them lying to you. And with being honest comes trust.
Rules and boundaries between you and your partner have to exist, and they need to be respected. It’s only this way that you’ll manage to balance being in a casual relationship and trust. In any other situation, you’ll probably leave empty-handed.
So, when you get started, set some rules which you and your partner can follow. Those rules can be established by a mutual agreement between partners. Remember, if you can’t follow your own rules, don’t expect other people to follow them either. Lead by example, and you will eventually form this mutual trust.
Seeing that, nowadays, women tend to trust men less than men trust women, it’s essential to learn how to earn their trust. Here are some useful tips on how you can do precisely that:
- Set yourself as an example — If you are setting the rules, do your best to follow all of them. Your behavior is a representation of yourself.
- Give her space — No one likes to be overwhelmed with attention in a casual relationship.
- Turn words into actions — Let your deeds speak for yourself, not your words.
Being open about your boundaries can give your partner a better picture of what you want and see if your goals are similar or the same. However, do keep in mind that trust can be easily broken, so try your best to respect your partner and comfort them in their time of need.
Of course, every person is different and comes with different “requirements,” but what’s important to remember is that, ultimately, you can only have fun with people you can trust.
Note: It Might Not Always Be About Sex
Although the first thing that comes to mind when we mention “casual relationship” is sex, being intimate doesn’t have to be the ultimate goal here. Having a simple night out without sex can also be very relaxing and fun. In fact, according to Health Line, casual dating can have numerous benefits, but what’s important is what you get out of it.
A casual relationship will help you recover faster and easier after a breakup, even if it means just lying next to each other and talking for a night. Or perhaps going out and ending the night on a friendlier note.
It’s important to talk about your ideas and feelings to your partner and let them know what you need. A casual relationship doesn’t make a lot of sense unless it feels good.
Final Thoughts
The great thing about casual relationships is that they can be anything you want them to be. You set the rules and decide how you want things to work. You and your partner, of course. Not everyone will want sex right on the first date, for example, but as long as you are upfront about your goals, you should be fine.
Before you walk into a casual relationship, just make sure that you can be honest with your partner, respect them, and value their time (and they yours), because this will ultimately help you build trust and establish a great no-strings-attached relationship.
And remember: trust is not limited to a long-term relationship. You need to trust your partner to feel good; you need to trust them that you’re both on the same page and want the same thing out of the relationship. That’s the only way you’ll be happy with what you have and get the most out of your relationship.